Running With the Wolves
by LexGem
Summary: "She sees what looks like a human foot, and all of the air leaves her lungs. What does a normal person do in a situation like this? Do they scream? Do they run? Do they call the cops? Do they turn a blind eye and walk the other way? What? Before she can think of doing otherwise, Haruhi drops her bags and runs into the alley."
1. Prologue: Escape

_Here comes the darkness  
It's eating at my soul_  
 _Now that the spark has_  
 _Gone out of control_

 _This fire is raging_  
 _I can't find the door_  
 _I just wanna die here_  
 _But you wanted more_

 ** _Burn - The Pretty Reckless_**

* * *

 ** _Prologue: Escape_**

* * *

The lights flash from red to blue as the sprinklers try to extinguish the flames flourishing around her. There's a high pitched ringing in her ears that blocks out any sound. When she landed after the explosion, the air was knocked out of her. Now she takes a deep, gasping breath that no doubt makes her look like a fish. Smoke invades her lungs and her mouth tastes of ash. The back of her throat burns. Her torso feels as though she's been skewered with a pole. Her ribs are either disjointed or broken, possibly a combination of the two, and one of her arms is bent at an angle so awkward the bone inside must be shattered.

She watches several pairs of feet pass by her, some of them limping, some of them running, none of them hesitating for a second to leave her behind. Slowly, the ringing fades away only to be replaced by the wail of alarms. An automatic voice delivers a broken message over the speakers, but no one is left to hear it.

"-is a-" static. "-code r-" static. "-terminate all-" static. "-vacuate immedia-" static.

Repeat.

She can't feel her legs at all. That may be due to the sedative still working its way through her bloodstream, or she might have suffered sufficient damage to her spinal chord. Despite the rampant heat surrounding her, she feels cold. The saccharine taste of blood is beginning to coat her tongue.

She's so tired.

She's so…

So…

…

' _WAKE UP!'_

The alarm stops, so does the message.

Unaware she'd closed them in the first place, she reopens her eyes and sees that the lights have also stopped. The power must be out.

Her eyes latch onto a tendril of smoke, its movements slow and soothing. It curls in on itself, almost as if it's beckoning for her to follow it. Higher and higher it flies until it joins the mass of smoke leaking through the hole in the ceiling. It reveals a floor above her she'd never even known existed. She can just make out the reinforced steel bars of cages glinting in the firelight. The shadows of writhing figures are projected against the smoke. They look like ghosts.

Somewhere to her left, she hears the muffled sounds of crying and coughing.

How long has she been lying here? Seconds? Hours? Days?

Has she ever existed outside this inferno?

She can't remember anymore.

 _'Get up.'_

A voice echoes through her head. They sound somewhat familiar, but she can't place why. Maybe she heard them in a dream once.

 _'_ _Y_ _ou have to get out of there before the fire blocks the exit. Get up.'_

She wants to argue, to tell the voice that she's too broken. She can't move, she can hardly _breathe_.

She just wants to sleep.

 _'That wasn't a suggestion,_ 118 _. That was an Order. NOW MOVE.'_

And just like that, as if she was a marionette whose strings were pulled, her body picks itself up.

She wraps an arm around her stomach, offering little support to her scrambled insides, and limps lethargically towards what remains of the exit. Her breath comes in quick pants and almost every step is punctuated with a cough. She can feel blood trickling down her chin, but it dries up almost instantly due to the surrounding heat. She evades bits of debris and burning lab equipment as efficiently as possible, but she can hardly stand, let alone walk straight. She bumps into cement and stumbles over the remains of a gurney, but she doesn't stop walking. Glass digs into her soles, but she hardly feels it.

"Don't..." A hoarse voice begs. "Don't... leave... me."

She looks over her shoulder, her eyes locking with the terrified gaze of a scientist who's legs are pinned by a fallen beam.

 _Oh._ She thinks. _That's who was crying._

The scientist stretches a trembling hand towards her, tears reflecting the light of the fire.

"Please..."

But she doesn't stop.

She couldn't even if she wanted to. Her body is no longer her own.

She turns the corner just as the scientist begins screaming in pain. The sound echoes after her, bouncing off the walls over and over again until she isn't sure that she only left one person behind.

Somehow, her body manages to hobble about a quarter of the way down the hall before her injuries finally catch up to her. She begins coughing uncontrollably, her body quivering with the force as more and more blood fills her mouth.

' _Keep going.'_ The voice is back, and her body again starts moving without her consent. _'You need to get as far away from here as you can. Don't stop until you find your pack.'_

Her pack.

She needs to find her pack.

She closes her eyes and places her hand against the wall for guidance and balance as she keeps walking. If she stops again, she won't be getting back up. Concentrating, she searches the back of her mind for the tell-tale tickle of a bond. She hasn't tried to connect with anyone in so long, she can't even be sure any of them are still intact.

She finds one. It's quiet- weak- but there none the less.

Her senses dull, the world around her falling away until all she can focus on is the connection leading her to her pack.

She follows it.

Beyond a small forest she doesn't see, over dirt and rocks she doesn't feel, she follows it.

Past a freeway with honking cars she doesn't hear, she follows it.

For hours and days, she follows it.

Until she's close enough to smell her pack, she follows it.

Until her body collapses from exhaustion, and her aggravated wounds ache in a way that feels permanent, she follows it.

And when she can't follow it anymore, she sends a message out in the dark.

 _Find me._

* * *

 **Hello. Thanks for reading. The title of this fic comes from the song Running With the Wolves by Aurora.**

 **~Chapter edited 1-29-2018~**


	2. Chapter 1: Providence

_To the center of the city where all roads meet, waiting for you_  
 _To the depths of the ocean where all hopes sank, searching for you_  
 _Well I was moving through the silence without motion, waiting for you_  
 _In a room with a window in the corner, I found truth_

 _In the shadowplay acting out your own death, knowing no more_

 ** _Shadowplay_** ** _\- The Killers_**

* * *

 ** _PART ONE: GENESIS_**

 ** _Chapter 01: Providence_**

* * *

Haruhi hoists her bag of groceries higher onto her shoulder as she waits for a break in the traffic. The lights at this intersection have stopped working for some reason, so the vehicles drive by slowly, everyone constantly on the lookout for the chance to move forward. A car honks, the driver motioning for her to cross. She bows her head and walks as fast as she can without dropping her bags.

A gust of wind blows past, sending a shiver down her spine. She wishes she'd brought her scarf, but it completely slipped her mind. She's used to making it to the store and back before sundown, but it's almost nine o'clock now. It's only natural that it's colder outside, especially during the winter.

Haruhi's breath forms a small cloud in front of her as she lets out a sigh. She shouldn't have gotten so caught up with watching the news. It had essentially been a waste of time. But at five o'clock, on her way out the door, she found herself hesitating. She had to know if there were any updates.

Two nights ago, to the shock of the nation, the Yamamoto Research Center was bombed by an unknown assailant.

The YRC is Japan's most prominent privately funded research facility and the country's best competitor in the medical world. Not only are they the current lead in disease control and vaccinations, they've also revolutionized transplant and fetal surgeries. Recently, they'd even announced that they would begin diving into stem cell research and cloning.

No one seems to know why or how the YRC was bombed, though there have been murmurs of terrorism and espionage. Nothing has been confirmed except for the steadily rising body count. The elderly couple living in the apartment above hers is waiting for news about their eldest son- a security guard. Haruhi doesn't know what she's waiting for, but she can't shake the feeling that there's something or someone she's hoping to see.

An unfamiliar sign catches her eye, and she stops walking to look around. It seems she was so caught up in her thoughts that she took a wrong turn. There are no cars anywhere, and all of the shops seem to be closed on this block. Haruhi is the only person on the sidewalk right now. It's unnerving. She shouldn't have left her cell phone at home to charge. She's not too far from her apartment, though. In fact, she used to go this way until the department store moved a couple blocks over. There's an alley she can use as a shortcut just around the corner.

She grips her bags tighter and speeds up her walk. She's just approaching the alley when some movement draws her attention, and she can't help but stare down the darkness. At first, she's not even sure what she's seeing. It looks like a group of alley cats sharing a dirty old cushion by a dumpster. Nothing unusual. Then she can make out what looks like a human foot, and all of the air leaves her lungs.

Before she can think of doing otherwise, she drops her bags and runs into the alley. She expects the cats to flee, or hiss or anything, really, but they just stare at her with wide, knowing eyes.

The human body hidden beneath the strays is covered in dirt, leaves and cat fur, wearing what could be a hospital gown if it wasn't so torn to shreds. There's a lot of blood, but none of it looks fresh. She can't tell if they're male or female. They don't look like they're breathing.

Haruhi grabs their wrist. The skin is ice cold, and the bone is as thin and light as a bird's. If she presses down hard enough, she'll snap it in half. She checks for a pulse, and after a second she can feel the faint flutter of a heartbeat.

Shooing the cats out of the way, Haruhi removes her cold air that stings her bare skin. Goosebumps form in an instant. She guides the person's arms through the jacket's holes and zips it up as high as it will go. She takes a deep breath and picks up the person as carefully as she can. It's a bit of a struggle for her to maneuver the person until they're draped over her back, but eventually, she manages it. She hunches forward a bit and hooks her arms behind their legs. It's not the most comfortable position, but it'll do.

She glances back at her dropped grocery bags but decides to leave them behind. She doesn't have anything that needs to be refrigerated immediately, so hopefully, they'll be okay until she can come back for them later.

* * *

The cats follow her home. They never get closer than a few feet, but she knows they're there. She can see them from the corner of her eye, passing in and out of the shadows. She can hear them jumping on top of trash cans, hissing and meowing at each other.

When she stops to take a break, basking the light of a street lamp, three of them sit directly in her path. The one on the left is all black, with short hair and a stubby tail. The right one is a tabby, who looks only a few months old. The final one in the middle, who appears to be the leader, is a big, grey Maine Coon. They croon at her, and their bright yellow eyes urge her to carry on.

Haruhi doesn't remember the rest of the trip, but somehow she makes it up the stairs of her apartment building without tripping. She sets the person down long enough to fish her key out of her pocket, and the cats conglomerate around them one by one. Haruhi's fingers are numb, and it takes a few tries before she can get the door open. When she finally does, she drags her unconscious guest inside by their armpits and closes the door on at least a dozen cats. She hopes they leave before the neighbors notice them.

Haruhi hauls the person into the bathroom. She sets them down gently on the floor and starts to run the bathwater, making sure the temperature is tepid. She runs to her room and grabs a t-shirt and shorts she doesn't really wear and pulls a towel and a few washcloths out of the linen closet. At the last second, she throws the towel in the dryer before she returns to the bathroom.

Haruhi strips the person, which entails cutting the remainder of the hospital gown away. It turns out her unexpected guest is a female. That makes things a little easier. She doesn't know how she's going to explain any of this to her dad, but he'll be much more accepting of a girl- a young one by the looks of it, though Haruhi could be wrong.

Dipping a washcloth in the water, Haruhi adds some soap and starts wiping off the girl as best she can. Her hair, only about two inches long, is matted to her scalp with dried blood and leaves. Washing it reveals a natural black color. Her body is covered with scars and wounds, some of them appearing to be years old. They're a stark contrast to her smooth, light brown skin.

At the base of the girl's spine, Haruhi finds what appears to be a tattoo. In black, block letters and numbers, it reads:

 **B- F29 -118.**

Just where did this girl come from?

Now that most of the loose debris is removed, Haruhi carefully lowers the girl into the lukewarm bath water. Loose dirt and blood swirl in the water around her, dying it a muddy brown, The shade grows darker the more Haruhi rubs warmth and soap into the girl's skin. When the water turns too brown to be doing any good, Haruhi drains and replaces it, starting the process over.

After the fifth or sixth time, Haruhi takes the girl out and dries her off with the towel fresh from the dryer. She grabs the first aid kit out from under the sink and dresses the girl's wounds the best that she can. Fortunately, most of them have already begun the healing process. Her biggest concern is the large scrape on the girl's back, but even that is scabbing over.

Haruhi puts her clothes on the girl. They're a bit big on her but no bigger than they are on Haruhi.

Haruhi carries the girl to her room, laying her down on her bed. Her breathing is more even now, and when Haruhi checks her pulse again, it's stronger. It's a huge relief. But Haruhi still has work to do.

She cleans the bathroom, using bleach in the tub and throwing away the remains of the girl's hospital gown. She sweeps and mops the floor, then the hallway and entryway, and throws her jacket, towel, and washcloth into the washer.

Haruhi grabs a coat out of her closet, preparing to go back for her groceries, but when she opens the door, a pile of her bags sits on her doorstep. The cats are gone.

Haruhi takes the groceries inside, puts them away and returns to her room. She looks at her alarm clock and realizes that a full three hours have passed since she came home. It's already past midnight. She didn't feel the passing of time at all. Her body had been moving on autopilot the whole time.

It's barely hitting her just how insane all of this is.

Haruhi's breath starts coming faster as panic builds in her veins and chest, spreading like a vine and choking her.

The way she handled the girl wasn't proper first aid. Moving her like that could have caused more harm than good. Not only that, but she brought a half-dead stranger into her home like it was nothing. The first thing she should have done was to flag down someone to call 110.

She needs to fix this.

Hands a quiver, Haruhi searches her desk for her cell phone. She could have sworn she left it on the charger, but it's not there.

She needs to call the cops.

She needs to call an ambulance.

She needs to call her dad.

Haruhi finally finds her damn phone, hidden beneath a pile of textbooks she was studying earlier. She flips the phone open, her thumb pressing only one number when a hand snatches her forearm and grips it tightly.

The girl is awake.

Her eyes are wide. And pale. And green. They remind Haruhi of a painting she once saw of sunlight flitting through a forest, a wolf stalking a deer in the foreground, but none of the greens the artist used could match the girl's eyes. They almost glow.

Haruhi's body feels dizzy and weak. It's as if all of her energy is being sucked out of her. The girl's eyes seem to grow larger and brighter. Her lips snarl open to reveal two rows of dagger-sharp teeth. Her grip on Haruhi's arm tightens.

Haruhi drops her phone, and distantly she can hear it thump against the floor.

* * *

 **Thank you for reading. Please tell me your thoughts.**

 **~Edited 2-1-18~**


	3. Chapter 2: Identity

_I could be a different person  
Someone better than me  
I could be your favorite person  
Just tell me who to be_

 _ **Tell Me Who To Be – Cosmo Jarvis**_

* * *

 _ **PART ONE: GENESIS**_

 _ **Chapter 02: Identity**_

* * *

 _She stands at the edge of the ring, her hands chained to the ground and her clothes nothing more than shreds at this point. She looks up through the dome, where the blank faces of the doctors observing her silently judge through the safety of the glass. Not for the first time, she wishes she could climb the walls and break through the glass to snap every one of their necks. She snarls, but disappointingly they don't so much as flinch._

 _A clicking sound draws her attention to the opening door in front of her, where another Project is being released into the arena. She observes it quickly (female, black hair, green eyes, small, thin, weak) and pulls against the chains. This Project is weaker than any of the others she has fought. She is certain she can beat it quickly and then return to her cell for sleep. She might even be able to lick her wounds if her energy lasts._

" _The chains will be removed at the beep, and the fight will take place for five minutes." One of the scientists speaks through a microphone. "Prepare yourselves."_

 _She takes a deep breath, rolls back her shoulders, flexes her muscles and counts from ten. When the beep sounds, she darts across the room. A quick blow to its throat and she can crush the Project's windpipe._

 _Before she realizes it, she finds herself being thrown away by an invisible force. The Project has only lifted a hand, but sweat pools at its brow. It seems her creators have decided to set her up against a telepath. She should have expected it. She'll be docked points._

 _She charges again, putting more strength and speed into her movements. The Project blocks her once more. Their battle continues like this for a while, her trying to attack and getting easily deflected. But The Project can only keep up their telepathic abilities for so long, and each attempt brings her closer to victory._

 _Finally, she manages to tackle the Project and get her hands around its neck. It doesn't fight her, green eyes staring up at her in surrender. She isn't used to that. Her opponents always struggle against her until the last breath leaves them, but this Project seems resigned to its fate. Perhaps it even welcomes it._

 _She isn't sure why, but she finds herself glancing at the reflective glass surrounding them. A gasp escapes her. They are identical and for a moment she is certain she's the one being strangled._

 _Her hands release the Project of her own accord, and she backs away as far as she can from it._

 _The girl -her sister- looks at her with eyes that can see directly into her mind and smiles._

* * *

With a gasp, Haruhi jolts awake, the remnants of her dream leaving her disoriented. A headache pounds behind her eyes and her mouth is dry and foul. Her torso is draped over her rumpled bed. She hasn't showered, she's still in her clothes from yesterday and her arm is sore.

Then she remembers.

Now wide awake, Haruhi gives a cursory glance around her room, but The Girl is gone and nothing seems out of place. Was it all a dream?

 _Beep-beep-beep_ calls the microwave from the kitchen, and Haruhi swallows. It's probably just her dad home from work and heating up his dinner. She should just change and go back to bed.

Haruhi shuffles to her door, inching it open as quietly as she can. The hinges whine, and she holds her breath. Waiting.

But nothing happens.

She enters the hallway and tiptoes to the kitchen. Her back flat to the wall, she peers over the side of the doorway, slapping a hand over her mouth.

The Girl is perched on their counter like a falcon, still wearing the clothes Haruhi gave her, and her eyes follow Ranka as he moves about the kitchen. They're the only part of her that's moving, but her body is tense, ready to pounce at a moment's notice.

Ranka doesn't notice her. Not even when he opens the cabinet directly on top of The Girl's head and leans into her personal space to grab a teacup. The girl doesn't so much as blink.

As her dad moves to the stove to start preparing his tea, The Girl's eyes continue to follow him. Unfortunately, this means that she spots Haruhi in the doorway. Their gazes lock, and static charges the air. They both know Haruhi shouldn't be able to see her. The Girl's face doesn't change, but Haruhi can see the tensing of her leg muscles that means The Girl is about to bolt.

"Don't!" Haruhi shouts. Ranka swears and almost drop his cup. The Girl's eyes flick towards the window, but she remains seated.

"What's wrong, Haruhi?" Asks Ranka, a hand pressed to his heart. He glances over her outfit and frowns. "I thought you were sleeping."

"I was, but…" Haruhi hates lying, especially to her dad. "I heard the microwave, and I wanted to make the tea for you while you change."

He doesn't believe her. Haruhi can tell by the way his brow furrows just the tiniest bit, but thankfully he doesn't press for the truth.

"...Okay." He says, placing a kiss on her forehead. "Thank you, sweetie."

Haruhi waits until she hears his bedroom door close, and then she advances towards The Girl.

"What are you doing out here?" Haruhi hisses, not bothering to wait for an answer. "Go back to my room and wait for me before he comes back."

The Girl blinks at her, slowly, looking very much like an owl Haruhi once saw in a video. After a second, she slides from the counter and limps away, presumably back to Haruhi's bedroom.

Haruhi sighs and slumps against the sink. This is way too much stress to be having during Winter Break. She still has some of the milk tea Hikaru and Kaoru brought her. It should calm her nerves and help her dad sleep.

While her body works, Haruhi's mind wanders. A couple of hours ago, she was prepared to tell her dad everything, but now that doesn't seem like a good idea. Nor does calling the police. Which reminds her-

"That smells good," Ranka puts his hand on her shoulder, and Haruhi jumps almost a mile in the air.

"Sorry." She forces her lips into a smile. "I didn't hear you come back. You startled me."

Ranka's brow furrows once more, and Haruhi suppresses a flinch as his mouth forms a small frown.

"Are you sure you're feeling well?" He checks her forehead. "You seem a little jumpy."

"I'm fine." She lies through her teeth. "I promise."

"If you say so." Ranka sighs, accepting a cup from his daughter. "Since you're up, you might as well keep me company while I eat. Tell me how your day was."

So Haruhi does, carefully omitting any information related to their guest. After she cleans up the kitchen, she returns to her room to find The Girl peeking through the curtains of her window.

When she notices Haruhi's presence, The Girl backs away like she's been caught with her hand stuck in the cookie jar, and settles herself on Haruhi's bed. Her face is relaxed -blank, really- but Haruhi gets the impression that The Girl is sulking. Haruhi sits across from her, and silence settles between them as thick as concrete.

It strikes Haruhi again just how bizarre this situation is. She has many questions, more than she could ever feasibly ask in one night. Before she bombards The Girl though, she decides to start with the basics.

"My name is Haruhi Fujioka. What's yours?"

The Girl doesn't answer.

At least, not with words. She points to her throat and opens her mouth before making an "x" with her fingers and shaking her head.

"You can't speak?" Haruhi guesses, and The Girl nods.

Next, she holds one hand flat and curls the fingers on her other hand as if she's holding a pen, miming out the action of writing.

"But you can write." Haruhi jumps up. "Okay. Give me a second."

She finds a mostly blank notebook, ripping out the few pages of math work she's done in it. She hands this, and a blue pen, to The Girl. To Haruhi's surprise, she only writes a number.

 **118.**

The Girl points to the paper, then to herself. Haruhi remembers the tattoo at the base of The Girl's spine.

Indignation coils in her chest as a frown pulls down her lips.

"You're not a number," Haruhi says.

The Girl doesn't seem to understand. She points to the paper again, this time tapping the number twice as if to emphasize its meaning. The indignation inside her grows, and Haruhi snatches the notebook and pen away. She crosses out the number with three, violent lines.

"You should have a real name."

She starts writing down names, as many as she can think of. Then she takes out her laptop and starts searching for more. The list she ends up with is unreasonably long, but she hands it over to The Girl anyway.

Again, she seems confused.

"You can choose a name from there, or I can find you more. I didn't add any Western names, but if you would prefer one, I can find some of those as well."

The Girl, finally catching on, takes up her new task in stride. She crosses out names, circles others and asks Haruhi for pronunciations and meanings. Eventually, when the sun is starting to rise and Haruhi can hear birds outside her window, they settle on Kana.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading. I've decided I can't go back and read my chapters anymore, or I'll just keep editing the same three chapters forever. Depending on how closely I follow my outline, this story should have twenty chapters. My goal is to finish this story before the year is out. Please bear with me.**

 **DarkSideOfWonderland: I'm glad you like it so far. Of course your thoughts matter.**


	4. Chapter 3: Bonding

_Don't give it a hand, offer it a soul_  
 _Honey, make this easy._  
 _Leave it to the land, this is what it knows_  
 _Honey, that's how it sleeps._

 _Don't let it in with no intention to keep it_  
 _Jesus Christ, don't be kind to it._  
 _Honey don't feed it, it will come back._

 **It Will Come Back - Hozier**

* * *

 **PART ONE: GENESIS**

 **Chapter 03: Bonding**

* * *

Haruhi's dreams have been strange lately. She can't remember much from them most nights, only blood and pain and an ache deep in her chest she doesn't understand that sticks with her throughout her day. The oddest thing about them, however, is that they don't feel like they belong to her.

A crash sounds from Haruhi's room, and she nearly chops her finger off. That can't be a good sign.

"Haruhi?" Her dad yells from the bathroom. "Is everything okay?"

"Everything's fine!" Haruhi yells back, turning down the heat on the stove and running to check her room.

Kana is on the floor, picking up Haruhi's pens and the cup she keeps them in while a small blue bird marches back and forth across Haruhi's desk flapping its wings. It stops to try pushing over one of Haruhi's textbooks, but soon gives up when it can't.

"You promised no more animals," Haruhi sighs, catching Kana's and the bird's attention.

Honestly, she shouldn't even be surprised. It's been a little over a week since she took Kana in, and during that time she's found the girl with three rats, two dogs, more cats than she could possibly count and a wide variety of colorful birds. She doesn't understand how all of these animals keep getting into her room, especially since they're on the second floor.

With loud chirps and fast chatter, the bird takes to the air and starts flying circles around Haruhi, clearly not at all happy with her presence. If it was brave enough, it'd probably be trying to peck her eyes out right now. The difference between their size must be too intimidating for it as it keeps adjusting its distance from her.

A soft, high pitched whistle echoes in the room and the bird stops it's "attack." It land's on Kana's shoulder, rubbing its cheek against her neck and trilling.

Haruhi opens the window and turns to Kana with a raised brow and crossed arms. The girl stares at the bird, pressing her forehead against it as if she's trying to communicate something to it before thrusting her hand away from her and watching the creature fly away. Haruhi double checks her lock and draws her curtains closed. She's not sure how much good it will do, but it makes her feel better.

When she turns back around, Kana is kneeling on the floor by the bedroom door. Her head is bent so she can peek out of the crevice, and Haruhi can hear her father humming as he gets ready for work. For some odd reason, Kana tries not to leave Haruhi's room when Ranka is home. It's a quirk Haruhi doesn't really get, especially since the few times the two have crossed paths, Ranka has been incapable of seeing Kana. It's actually quite disconcerting to watch. If Haruhi didn't know better, she'd start believing Kana was just a vivid hallucination.

It isn't until his call of "Bye, Sweetie! I'll be back later!" that Kana stands back up and steps into the hallway. She sticks her head around the corner then makes a beeline for the bathroom.

Haruhi hears the shower start and sighs. She gathers a towel and clothes and leaves them outside the bathroom door for the girl, knowing the water will stop in exactly five minutes.

There's so much Haruhi doesn't know about Kana. When someone can only communicate through writing, it somehow makes it harder to interrogate them, apparently. Not only that, but Kana's literacy is also quite lacking. It's difficult for them to hold a conversation for any length of time. Still, they've tried, and what Haruhi has learned from the small bits of information Kana's been willing to give her grants her a feeling of accomplishment.

From what Haruhi can understand from her writing, Kana is more or less sixteen, she doesn't know where she's from, she doesn't know how she got here and she doesn't have anywhere to return to.

Haruhi makes her way into the kitchen. The water stops, and Haruhi hears the bathroom door open and close. Hopefully, Kana is using the towel Haruhi left for her and won't drip all over the floor again.

It doesn't take long for the girl to join her, and when Haruhi sets down a plate in front of her, Kana scarfs down her food so fast it's a wonder she doesn't choke. That in and of itself is a bit of an improvement since she refused to eat in front of Haruhi only a couple days ago. When she's finished, Kana settles into the living room and turns on the TV. She's developed a strong fascination with the device, though Haruhi can't tell if it's because she finds the thing amazing or concerning.

This is the quiet routine they've somehow slipped into. Despite its comfort, Haruhi knows this peace can't last. The new term starts in a few days, and she knows Kana can't stay here by herself all day. There are too many things that could go wrong.

Haruhi doesn't know what she'd do if her dad accidentally came home and could suddenly Kana, or if she came home one day to find Kana missing.

All of the terrible possibilities aren't something Haruhi wants to dwell on, so it comes as a relief when Kana motions for her to sit beside her so Haruhi can explain all the things the girl doesn't understand happening on the small screen in front of her.

Their peace is destined to be even more short-lived then Haruhi anticipates.

* * *

Everything shifts when, an hour after her father goes to work the next day, Kana suddenly stiffens beside Haruhi. Her forehead starts beading sweat and her hands clench her borrowed t-shirt.

"What's wr-" Haruhi starts to ask, only to be interrupted by a loud knocking at the door.

Kana's lips thin, but she doesn't stop Haruhi as she gets up to check who is at the door. She peers through the peep-hole and suppresses a groan.

The Host Club is here.

"It's just some of my friends," Haruhi reassures Kana. "I'll ask them to leave, okay?"

The girl doesn't respond, but her face is starting to turn red.

Haruhi frowns, a feeling of dread settling in the pit of her stomach, and opens the door just a crack. She's greeted by a chorus of "Haruhi!" and before she can say anything, her door is being forced open. The boys start talking over each other, and Haruhi can only catch a few words here or there.

"Not answering-"

"-worried about-"

"Straight to voicemail-"

"Kidnapping-"

From the corner of her eye, Haruhi can see Kana doubling over herself, and she's struck with an odd sense of panic. None of the Hosts have noticed Kana, they all seem to be just as incapable of seeing her as Ranka, but Haruhi can't shake the feeling that she needs to get them to leave.

And fast.

"SHUT UP!" She yells, and the boys all jump back in surprise. "I can't understand what you're saying. Why are you guys here?"

"Daddy's been so worried about you, Haruhi!" Tamaki wails, throwing himself at the girl.

"You weren't answering your phone." Hikaru starts. "It kept going to voicemail,"

"So we called Kyoya-senpai." Kaoru finishes.

"Ranka-san was also not answering my phone calls," Kyoya adds. "I thought it best for us to investigate in person."

It only occurs to Haruhi now that she hasn't seen her cellphone in quite some time. Not since…

She glances back to where Kana is, and to her shock, the girl is right next to her, almost close enough to touch. Her eyes are clouded over and her entire body is flushed as she pants heavily.

"Haru-chan? What's wrong?" Honey asks, but before Haruhi can say anything, Kana collapses, falling forward and knocking into Kaoru.

It must feel very odd, to have a person appear out of thin air in front of you. It's only natural for someone to freak out in that kind of situation.

Tamaki and Hikaru yell, and Mori swoops up Honey while Kyoya takes out his cell phone.

Kaoru, however, does nothing but catch the girl falling into him. He examines her for a second, before turning to Haruhi with wide eyes.

"Who is this?" He asks.

Then faints.

And that's when everyone _really_ starts freaking out.

* * *

 **Hello. There will be another short chapter after this one either later tonight or tomorrow depending on how fast I edit it,**

 **Thank you again _DarkSideOfWonderland_ for reviewing and to everyone else for reading.**


	5. Interlude: Imprint

_Looking for something I've never seen  
Alone, and I'm in between_

 _The place that I'm from and the place that I'm in  
A city I never been_

 _I found a friend, or should I say a foe?_

 _ **Trust Me - The Fray**_

* * *

 _ **PART ONE: GENESIS**_

 _ **Interlude: Imprint**_

* * *

Someone is crying. It's muffled as if whoever is performing the act is trying to smother the sound, but the small whimpers and quiet sniffles are unmistakable.

Kaoru follows it. He can't see anything, wherever this is, it's pitch black, but he trusts in his hearing and keeps moving forward. He finds a girl. She's crouched in a ring of blue light, what he can see of her skin is littered with bruises and cuts, and her hands are sealed over her mouth.

He crosses the ring and the light takes on a purple hue. The girl looks up at him with sharp, pale green eyes. She lowers her hands from her face and watches as Kaoru kneels beside her. He places his hand on her head, and her eyes close while the light around them turns red.

The circle begins to shrink, but Kaoru hardly notices as the girl wraps her slender fingers around his wrist. She guides his hand away from her head and places it on her throat right above her pulse. Her skin burns against his palm, but Kaoru doesn't pull away. The girl places her own hand over Kaoru's pulse, and he swallows as his own skin starts to heat up to an unnatural warmth. She sighs and leans forward until her forehead rests on Kaoru's chest, and the heat spreads. It's almost unbearable now, but still, he doesn't pull away.

The light creeps closer, burning brighter.

"Who are you?" He asks.

She doesn't answer but presses her body tighter against his. The red light finally reaches them, and every square inch of Kaoru's being seems to catch fire.

He gasps and screams trying to push the girl off of him, but she digs her nails into his back and presses herself even closer. It's impossible to tell where she ends and Kaoru begins.

"Stay." She whispers, and Kaoru finds he wants to.

* * *

 **Again, thanks for reading.**


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